Feed-regulator for clay-working machinery



(No Model.)

H. 0. INGRAHAM.

FEED REGULATOR FOR CLAY WORKING MACHINERY. No. 588,715.

Patented Aug. 24, 1897.

ajaarn/ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY O. INGRAHAM, OF BEVERLY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERI- I CANCLAY-WORKING MACHINERY COMPANY, OF BUGYRUS, OHIO.

FEED-REGULATOR FOR CLAY-WORKINGMACHINERY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Fatent No. 588,715, dated August24, 1897. Application filed May 5, 1897. Serial No. 635,189. (No model.)

TO aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY O. INGRAHAM, a citizen of the United States,residing at Beverly, in the county of Burlington and State of NewJersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFeed-Regulators for Clay-forking Machinery, of which the followlng is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying draw-vmgs.

My invention is especially designed for use with machinery for workingclay, and has for its object to provide a reliable, regular, andautomatic feed of clay from the receiving bin or hopper to the mixing orother machine; and my invention consists of the parts and theconstruction and combinations of parts 'which I shall hereinafter fullydescribe and tion of a portion of a receiving bin or hopper,

showing my improved feed-regulator. Fig. 2 is an end view showing theadjustable gate.

' Fig. 3 is a plan view of'the feed-regulating used, for making what isknown as stiff,

mud brick, or may pass to a suitable steamer. when it is desired to makesemiplastic or semidry brick. The objection has been, however, that thetendency of the clay is to stick or adhere and clog, and if thefeed-gate is opened to any considerable extent the material will bedischarged in too great quantities. In the first case the material hasto be loosened up by prodding and stirring with a pole in the hands ofan operator, and in the second case the feed is not in such regular andpredetermined quantities as is desired. As itis essential in feeding toeither the mixing-machine or steamer to deliver the material asuniformly as possible, that the requisite amount of moisture may beadded and also that there may be no Waste occurring from an oversupplyat one timev and a shortage of material at another time, the value of areliable, uniform, and automatic feeding appliance in this art will beappreciated.

It is now believed to be the practice to regulate the feed to themachines as nearly as possible by the operator, whose duty it is to feedthe dry pan or disintegrator; but this method is very uncertain for thereasons before stated and because a sufficient stock or supply ofmaterial cannot well be kept in reserve to meet the possibility of astop made in the feed. Therefore receiving bins or hoppers of largeholding capacity have not met with much favor, although thedesirabilityof such large bins or hoppers is conceded.

The object of my invention is to enable a bin or hopper of large holdingcapacity to be used With a feeding mechanism that Will deliver-thematerial from the bin or hopper to the appropriate machine in a steadyand uniform manner and in wellregulated quantities, overcoming theliability of the material clogging at the hopper discharge ordischarging irregularly and insuring a positive automatic withdrawal ofthe material from the hopper uniformly and at any required quantity perhour that may be needed.

In the said drawings, A represents a hopper of suitable material andconstruction and adapted to have alarge holding capacity. The lowerportion of this hopper has downwardly-converging side walls, and itsbottom is preferably left open from end to end. Below this bin, orhopper, into which the material is received from the usual dry pan ordisintegrator, (not shown,) and supported in any well-known manner, isan endless horio zontallytraveling apron or belt B, whose width issomewhat in. excess of the Width of the hopper-opening, said apron orbelt being constructed of leather, canvas, or other appropriatematerial'and made, preferably, of of one piece, with a close or flushjoint at the meeting ends to maintain the continuity of the surface, asan irregular or rough joint in the apron will cause a ripple in the fiowof the material and will enable the fine material I00 to sift throughit. The apron or belt is mounted in a frame 0, in the .ends of which arej ournaled the drums or rollers D D, around which the apron or beltpasses, one of said drums D being connected with boxes E, slidable inbearings in the frame and actuated by a screw F, whereby the degree oftension of the apron may be regulated. The shaft of the other drum D isextended beyond one side of the frame 0 and carries a beveled gear-wheelG, which meshes with and is driven by a beveled pinion H 011 thehorizontal shaft I, journaled in brackets or arms J, projecting from theframe, said shaft also carrying a pulley K, through which power iscommunicated to cause the apron or belt to travel below and parallelwith the bottom of the hopper in the direction of the required deliveryand at a moderate speed.

The bottom edges of the hopper should not rest in contact with the beltor apron, but should terminate a short distance above the same, and theintervening space is fully closed by means of strips or flaps (Z, ofheavy canvas, muslin, or other flexible material, to prevent leakage andto prevent undue wear upon the apron. The apron is supported throughoutits length by means of rollers e, journaled in the frame O, and theamount of material discharged from the hopper is controlled by means ofa vertically-slidable gate L at one end of the bin or hopper and movablein guides g, said gate having a lug h, in which is secured a screw orthreaded rod 7), working through a suitable nut or threaded bearing 76,projecting from the end of the bin or hopper. By operating this screwthe gate may be raised and lowered and the quantity of materialdischarged regulated.

Along the lower sides of the hopper are secured in any suitable mannerthe inclined strips m, to which the flexible flaps or strips d aresecured to prevent lateral leakage of the material and to formsubstantially a d ustproof packing, said strips or converging from thegate end of the hopper, as shown in Fig. 3, and forming hopper-likesides for the apron or endless conveyer. By thus converging the stripson the tendency of the material leaking out through the side edges isprevented, as the belt orconveyer will then feed the material forwardalong the gradually-widening space with an easy and regular motion anddischarge it through the gate.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I am enabled touse a bin or hopper of large capacity as a storage-receiver for thematerial, and when the conveyer is in operation any tendency of thematerial to clog or run irregularly, even if it is damp, will beprevented. The feed is automatic and quite uniform as long as there isany mate rial in the bin or hopper, as the endless conveyer forms amovable bottom under the bin or hopper for the entire length thereof andthe particles of clay will be kept in motion and agitated thereby,overcoming the annoyance of sticking or banking. The amount of dischargeis regulated by the gate and the outflow is positively governed as longas there remains any material in the hopper. This insures a uniform feedto the machine.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a receiving bin or hopper havingdownwardly-converging sides and a bottom discharge, of a conveyer belowsaid bottom and consisting of an endless apron or conveyer and means foroperating it, a vertically-adjustable gate at one end of the hopper, forregulating the discharge, strips extending along the lower exterioredges of the hopper and the flexible packing strips or flaps carried bysaid exterior strips and extending along the sides of the hopper betweenthe lower edges thereof and the conveyer to prevent leakage.

2. The combination with a receiving bin or hopper having a bottomdischarge and a vertically-adjustable gate at one end, of an endlessapron or conveyer below said bottom, the inclined rearwardly-convergingstrips along the lower exterior edges of the hopper and the flexiblestrips secured to the inner sides of the exterior strips and forming apacking at the junction of the hopper discharge and apron, to preventleakage.

3. The combination of a bin or hopper havin g a bottom discharge, aconveyer below the same and forming a movable bottom therefor, andconsisting of an endless apron or belt and a frame having end drums andintermediate rollers, movable boxes for the shaft of one of said drumsand means for adj usting the boxes and regulating the tension of theapron or belt, a gear-wheel on the shaft of the other drum, a shaftparallel with the frame, having a pinion to engage said gear-wheel, andhaving a power-pulley, inclined strips along the lower exterior sides ofthe hopper, flexible strips secured to and extending along the illnerlower sides of the inclined strips and forming a packing to preventleakage at the joint between the hopper and conveyer, guides on the endof the hopper, a gate slidable in said guides and provided with a screwor threaded rod, and a nut or threaded bearing on the hopper throughwhich the screw or rod passes, whereby the gate is adjusted to regulatethe feed of the material.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY O. INGRAIIAM.

IVitn esses:

CLEMENTINE F. PAYNE, JOHN A. PAYNE.

